Midwife, Mother...Italian's Wife Read online

  Misty nodded. ‘I think everyone would be interested in a discussion and the practise too. I know your father would. We need to include it more, like we practise the emergency drills.’

  That was the beauty of working at Lyrebird Lake. Everyone wanted to keep their skills top notch. Wanted to support growth and competency and faith in one another. ‘We need to include new trends in Resus more.’

  ‘Next time I see him I’ll ask him.’ Probably tonight, she thought with a bubbling anticipation she tried to ignore. ‘It’ll have to be soon because he’ll be gone.’ She hoped she didn‘t sound plaintive.

  Misty missed nothing. ‘Sunday, isn’t it? I think you’ll miss him. You okay with that?’

  Tammy reached for a pile of nappies to restock Pip’s cot. At least she could avoid Misty’s eyes that way. ‘Fine. No problem.’ She didn’t want to think about it. Something she hadn’t been able to achieve in reality. She shrugged. ‘I’ve enjoyed his company, but really, we barely know each other.’

  And yet on another level they knew each other far too well.

  Misty might have been able to read her mind but there was no pressure in her comment. ‘Sometimes it doesn’t take long to feel that connection.’

  Tammy smiled at the pile of nappies. ‘Like you did with Dad?’

  She could hear the returning smile in Misty’s voice. ‘I can remember driving away as I tried to deny it.’

  She’d heard the story many times and never tired of it. ‘And he followed you to Lyrebird Lake.’ Tammy stood and glanced over at her stepmother. ‘I’m glad he did, and glad he brought me with him. But I can’t see Leon hanging around here for me and I’m certainly not moving to Italy.’

  She thought about the differences in their cultures and she thought about distance and all she’d achieved here. Then she thought about her bad run with Italians and finally the kidnap attempt on Leon’s son, even though the criminals had been caught and Paulo was safe now. She couldn’t imagine living a life like that.

  Misty handed her some clean singlets to put under the cot. ‘I’m sure your father told me once you can speak Italian?’

  She didn’t know why she wanted to hug that to herself. ‘Only a little.’

  ‘Does Leon know?’ Tammy shook her head.

  Misty smiled. ‘Isn’t that interesting.’ She moved away from Pip’s bed to change the subject. ‘I’m actually glad it’s my last evening tonight. Peta and Nicky want to go to the beach house on the weekend and your father says he’s not going without me. It’ll be good to relax.’

  Tammy thought of her father and the run-around her stepsisters would give him if Misty wasn’t there to gently control their exuberance. ‘I don’t blame him. The girls are full-on.’

  Misty laughed. ‘And Jack isn’t?’

  ‘Must be in the genes.’ They smiled at the family joke. Though Ben wasn’t Tammy’s biological father they’d decided Tammy had inherited all her bad traits from him.

  ‘Actually—’ Misty paused as if weighing her words ‘—I was wondering if Jack would like to come with us? Give you a weekend off.’

  Tammy frowned at the sudden unease the thought left her with. All this talk of kidnapping and violence and her son away. Then she thought of her response when she’d thought Leon was coddling his own son. ‘Maybe not this weekend. But another time, sure. As long as I can take the three of them some weekend and you and Dad could have a weekend off?’

  ‘We could do that.’ Misty glanced at the clock and saw it was almost time for Tammy to go. ‘Has Jack been keeping Paulo company?’

  She’d tried to encourage her son to visit but he’d resisted. ‘Not yet. I’m not sure they get on. I have a feeling they both like being only children. Rivalry. I’m taking him around to Louisa’s this afternoon to play.’

  Tammy glanced at her watch. ‘Did you want to send the girls around after school? Louisa would love it. The more children, the happier she is. Just until Dad gets home with Leon? I’ll be there too.’ Not to mention she’d be there when Leon came home. She wouldn’t have to wait until late that night to see him and the thought sat warmly just under her throat.

  Misty glanced at her own watch and weighed up the time she had to change plans. ‘Instead of after-school care? They’d like that.’

  ‘It was Louisa’s idea for the children to visit.’ And Tammy had been quick to agree. ‘I’ve been meaning to catch up with her for a few days.’

  Misty nodded as they both paused and thought about Louisa’s loss and Tammy went on. ‘Leon says she’s lonely. That the residence is too big and empty for her.’

  Misty bit her lip. ‘Poor Louisa. Maybe she needs a change of scenery to help her think of something else for a while?’

  ‘Leon says he’s trying to get her to move to Italy with him.’ She was starting all her sentences with ‘Leon says.’ Good grief. She needed to watch that and she’d bet her stepmama wouldn’t miss it either. She changed the subject. ‘I wonder where Gianni took Emma for the Australian leg of their honeymoon?’

  Tammy saw Misty bite back her smile as she accepted the change. ‘She’ll send us a postcard, I’m guessing. It’s not long till they fly out.’

  Tammy glanced at her watch. It was time for her to go before she said something else she’d regret. ‘Yep. Imagine—Italy on Sunday.’ She didn’t look at Misty as she left. Just waved and stared straight ahead.

  ‘I don’t want to play with him. I’m not a little kid, Mum, you can’t make me.’ Tammy glanced across and checked that Jack had done up his seatbelt before she started the car. Stinky pulled against his dog restraint and panted longingly at the window.

  ‘Sure I can.’ She ruffled Jack’s black hair. ‘So stop acting like a baby and be nice. The girls are coming too. The poor kid’s probably bored out of his skull not being able to go to school.’

  Jack screwed up his nose. ‘Poor Paulo. Imagine not having to go to school? How terrible.’

  ‘Don’t be sarcastic. It doesn’t suit you.’ Tammy tried to keep a straight face. There was a lot of muttering going on under Jack’s breath and she thought she heard, ‘I’d kill to not have to go to school.’ She could remember thinking the same thing a lot of years ago.

  She parked outside and walked the path of the old doctor’s residence and up the stairs onto the verandah. Tammy knocked and opened the door. The residence was always open and Louisa would be out the back in the kitchen.

  The tantalising aroma of fresh baking wafted down the hallway and she sighed philosophically about her new jeans that were a little tight already. Louisa’s scones were legendary.

  ‘Hello, Jack.’ Tiny Louisa held out her snuggly-grandma arms and smiled hugely as she enveloped him in a big hug. Louisa was the only person he’d suffer a hug from and the sight made Tammy smile too.

  Jack emerged pink cheeked, grinned shyly, and he leaned up and kissed Louisa’s cheek. ‘Hello, Aunty Lou.’

  ‘You need fattening up, my boy. You and Paulo are like two skinny peas in a pod.’ She glanced fondly over at Paulo, who sat beside the window with an open book in front of him. ‘Paulo’s been forcing down my scones. Haven’t you, Paulo?’

  Paulo smiled shyly at Louisa and kissed his fingers. ‘Delizioso.’

  Tammy stepped in for her own hug, and she squeezed Louisa’s waist which suddenly seemed smaller than she remembered. She frowned. ‘You losing weight, Louisa?’

  Louisa patted her round tummy. ‘Oh, I’m not cooking as much, though I’ve put on a pound or three since two more gorgeous Italians moved in.’

  Tammy felt slightly reassured but decided she’d mention Louisa’s health to her dad next time she saw him.

  She noticed Jack had wolfed down his scones by the time Peta and Nicola arrived. Misty and Ben’s girls were both fair-headed like their mother and Nicola stood half a head taller than her sister.

  More hugs and more homemade strawberry jam and freshly whipped cream to be piled onto disappearing scones and then the children all trooped off to play o
utside. Tammy felt Paulo dragged his feet a little and she frowned after him.

  She glanced at Louisa. ‘Maybe I should ring Montana? Paulo seemed happiest talking to Grace at the wedding.’ Grace was staying with Montana and Andy’s daughter while Gianni and Emma were on their first few nights of the honeymoon.

  Louisa laughed. ‘She’ll be here soon. She and Dawn have been over every afternoon after school. The three get on very well.’

  Tammy nodded, and helped Louisa carry their tea to the verandah. The women sat looking out over the green lawns, talked together easily while the children played and drank tea.

  The sun shone on the red roof of the hospital across the road and fluffy white clouds made magical shapes in the blue of the sky. The breeze from the lake helped keep the temperature down and Tammy decided the two boys seemed to be getting on well enough.

  The children’s games started simply, though even to a casual observer the boys competed for most stakes. They always seemed to be the last two to be found in hide-and-seek and were the fastest at finding people. Both were better than the girls at shooting hoops and it quickly became apparent how important it was to be the boy with the best score. Tammy shook her head as Jack whooped when he won the latest game.

  The afternoon sun sank lower and Louisa went back inside to start dinner while Tammy flicked through a magazine as she watched them play.

  Leon would be home soon, and her thoughts returned to the man who had erupted into her life with a compelling force she wasn’t prepared for.

  She’d already seen his concern for Louisa but what was he like while he stayed here? Was he tidy and thoughtful? Did he wait to be served his meals or jump up to help? Was he a good father, attending to all Paulo’s needs? At the last thought she pulled herself up. It didn’t matter what the answer was to any of these questions, he was leaving on Sunday. And she was not going to waste her time wondering about things that didn’t concern her.

  She called out to the children to suggest they finish off their games and come in. Stinky barked as he tried to join in and the sound echoed over the quiet, tree-lined street.

  Tammy glanced at her watch again. He’d be here soon. The questions she’d asked herself itched like a raised rash at the back of her mind and she gave in to the urge to search out Louisa for some of the answers before it was too late.

  Her mind wandered to whether or not Leon would visit her house tonight as well.

  Wandered to the night after he left for his home country and how empty her den would feel.

  Wandered to whether the tension she could feel heating between them could be contained to prevent an inferno, a conflagration that could damage them both as they went their separate ways in the very near future.

  Her hip buzzed and she reached for her phone. It was Misty and she opened it with a smile.

  Her smile fell at the unease plain in her stepmother’s voice. ‘I’ve got a bad feeling.’ Misty sounded shaky and Tammy felt her stomach drop. Misty went on. ‘Where’s your car?’

  Tammy frowned into the phone. ‘Outside. Why?’

  ‘I’m coming over.’ Misty hung up.

  Outside, the girls were happy to quit but the boys had one more point they wanted to settle and the ultimate test was Jack’s idea.

  ‘Just one last race. A longer one. I’ll race you past the last tree and around that car down the end of the road and back. No stopping.’

  Paulo looked at the distance, pondering the slight incline in the hill over the rough stones and the fact that they both had bare feet. He’d always run well in bare feet. And he was fast.

  ‘Sì. Then we must go in, for my father will be here soon.’

  ‘You’re on.’ Jack looked at the girls. ‘Grace? You be starter.’

  Paulo looked confused and Grace whispered, ‘I say, “Ready, set, go.” On “go” you run like the clappers.’

  Paulo nodded. He understood ‘go’.

  The other girls were silent as Grace counted. ‘Ready. Set. Go.’ The two boys took off like deer in the bush, along the path, down the hill, and Stinky ran with them, barking the whole way. The girls cheered as the two distant figures ran neck and neck and then split each side of the car as they came to it and turned for the return journey. Then a strange thing happened.

  The car doors opened wide and two men got out and suddenly the boys disappeared. Almost as if they were sucked into the vehicle. Both of them. The doors shut and the car pulled away on the road out of town in a skid of gravel and the roar of an engine even the girls could hear.

  All that was left was the dust and the tiny four-legged figure of Stinky chasing the black sedan down the road.

  Grace blinked and looked at Nicky and Peta and then she spun on her heel and raced into the house. ‘Tammyyyyy. Someone’s taken them!’

  Grace ran full pelt into Tammy, who’d just shut her phone and was staring at it as if trying to understand. She steadied the girl against her chest. When she realised Grace was crying, dread curled like a huge claw in her chest and she looked at the empty lawn. Where were the boys?

  She thrust Grace aside into Louisa’s arms and rushed out into the street. A white car backed out of a driveway down the road and drove away; otherwise, the road was deserted in every direction. No Jack. No Paulo. Just Nicky and Peta with their arms around each other in fright outside the door.

  Tammy spun on her heel. ‘Who took them, Grace?’ Her brain searched for a reason. More kidnappers? ‘What did they look like? It wasn’t a white car, was it? What were they driving?’

  Grace sniffed valiantly and her mouth opened and closed helplessly. Louisa hugged the little girl into her side as the older woman, too, tried to make sense of what had happened.

  Grace swallowed a sob that blocked her throat. ‘It was a black car.’ She sniffed hugely and then the words tumbled out. ‘It was parked down the road. The boys had a race and, when they ran past, men came out of the car and pushed them inside and drove off. Stinky’s run after them.’

  Tammy grabbed the keys to her own car off the table. ‘Mind the kids, Louisa. I’m going after them.’

  ‘Is that wise?’ Louisa’s vice trembled. ‘It could be dangerous.’

  ‘Dangerous for them,’ Tammy snarled. ‘Ring Dad to find Leon. Let Leon ring the police if he wants to.’ Tammy was having trouble seeing through the thick fear in her head. How dare they take her son? And Leon’s.

  ‘They had black shirts and black trousers on,’ Nicky said suddenly.

  ‘And it was a car like Grandpa’s,’ Peta added.

  Tammy’s brain was chanting Jack’s words over and over. You’d find me, wouldn’t you, Mum?

  Peta’s words sank in as she threw her bag over her shoulder. ‘A Range Rover?’

  Peta nodded. ‘Sort of. A big black four-wheel drive.’

  ‘Right, then.’ And Tammy was gone, running for her car and roaring away from the kerb as she fumbled with her seatbelt. They probably only had about three minutes head start on her and she knew the road. Misty’s phone call came back to her. ‘Where’s your car?’ And here she was in her car. She hoped to hell that Misty’s premonition had seen a good end to the scenario.

  The winding road into Lyrebird Lake could be treacherous for those who didn’t know it. But then if they were Italians as she expected they were, they’d be used to driving on treacherous winding roads. Damn them. She pushed the pedal down harder and she flew past a gliding Maserati she barely recognised coming into town. A minute later her mobile phone rang and she snatched it up and didn’t even consider it unusual she knew who it was. ‘I can’t drive and talk.’

  ‘Put it on speaker.’ Leon’s order was calm, yet brooked no refusal. She flicked the speaker on impatiently and his voice echoed in the cabin. ‘Stop your car, Tamara. Do not chase these people.’

  Her foot lifted off the accelerator and then pushed down again. ‘No. I won’t stop.’ She hung up and pushed the pedal down harder. And nearly ran over Stinky, who appeared as she rounded a bend.
r />   She skidded to a halt, reversed, leaned over to the passenger’s side and opened the door. She breathed deeply in and out several times. She wasn’t surprised when she looked in the rearview mirror and Leon’s car was behind her.

  Stinky’s tongue was hanging twice its length as he gulped air. ‘Get in, Stinky.’ Stinky leaned his paws on the frame and sighed. Such was his dedication to chasing the boys he didn’t have the energy left to jump in.

  Tammy pulled on the handbrake, opened her door, dashed around the car and picked up the little dog, but before she could bundle him in, Leon pulled up behind her. He was out of his car in a flash.

  ‘Do not follow them. That’s an order. You do not understand and will cause more harm than help.’

  His words dashed over her like a bucket of cold water and she didn’t reply as he went on implacably. ‘Your son will be safer if you do not confront them.’ His voice lowered. ‘And so will mine.’

  Her footsteps stopped beside her car, as did the frozen focus that had consumed her, and she slumped, horrified again at what had happened and chillingly aware of how the fear in her chest was almost choking her. She turned and leaned her face on her arm against the roof of her vehicle and then she felt Leon’s hands as he pulled her back into his body.

  She almost sank into him until she remembered he’d brought this on her. They’d taken Paulo and now he’d brought this agony to her when they’d taken Jack too. He wrapped his arms around her stiff body, but there was no yielding, no relief he could give her. Nothing would help the cold that seeped into her as if she were being slowly submerged in an icy blanket of dread. Her son had been abducted.

  Her chest ached with the spiralling fear started by Misty’s call and the empty yard.

  And they sped away further as she stood here. She yanked herself free of his embrace. He was letting them get away. ‘I could have caught them.’ She threw her head back and glared into his face. ‘Seen where they went.’